The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its ex-post facto approval to ASHA Benefit Package w.e.f. October, 2018 (to be paid in  November, 2018) with two components as under: -

1. ASHAs and ASHA facilitators meeting the eligibility criteria to be enrolled in social security schemes implemented by Government of India namely, the Pradhan MantriJeevanJyotiBimaYojana and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha BimaYojana.
2. An increase in the amount of routine and recurring incentives under National Health Mission for ASHAs under NHM from Rs. 1000/- per month to Rs. 2000/-per month.

The package entails an expenditure (Central funding) to Rs.1224.97 crore for two years 2018-19 and 2019-20.

No of beneficiaries:

• Estimated 10,63,670(Ten lakh Sixty Three Thousand Six Hundred Seventy) ASHAS and ASHA facilitators to be covered under Pradhan MantriJeevanJyotiBimaYojana.
• Estimated 9,57,303 (Nine lakh fifty seven thousand three hundred three) ASHAS and ASHA facilitators to be covered under Pradhan Mantri Suraksha BimaYojana.
• Estimated 10,22,265 (Ten lakh twenty  two thousand two hundred sixty five) ASHAs will get at least minimum of Rs 2000/- per month from current Rs1000/- for routine activities.

Details:

• ASHAs and ASHA Facilitators to be covered under Pradhan Mantri Suraksha BimaYojana (Life Insurance). The eligibility criteria are 18-70 years.Cover is for one-year period stretching from 1st June to 31st May  and benefit is as under:–

1. Rs. 2 Lakh in  case of death due to accident 
2. Rs. 2 Lakh in case of total and irrecoverable loss of both eyes or loss of use of both hands or feet or loss of sight of one eye and loss of use of one hand or one foot
3. Rs. 1 Lakh in case of total and irrecoverable loss of sight of one eye or loss of use of one hand or one foot

The annual Premium of Rs 12 per beneficiary will be paid by Central Government.

ASHAs and ASHA Facilitators meeting the age criteria of 18-50 years to be covered under Pradhan MantriJeevanJyotiBimaYojana (Accident insurance). The annual premium of Rs. 330 (average) will be paid by the Central Government.  Cover is for one-year period stretching from 1st June to 31st May and benefit is Rs 2 Lakh in case of death due to any cause.

• ASHAs will get a minimum of Rs.2000/- per month from current Rs 1000/- per month as incentives for routine activities. This is in addition to other task based incentives approved at Central/State level.

Implementation Strategy and Targets:

• The existing institutional mechanisms for the National Health Mission would be utilised to implement the proposed ASHA Benefit package.

• Targets:

• By 31st March  2019- 65 % of ASHAs and ASHA facilitators to be enrolled in social security schemes implemented by Government of India namely, the Pradhan MantriJeevanJyotiBimaYojana and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha BimaYojana
• By 30th October, 2019-100 %  of ASHAs and ASHA facilitators to be enrolled in social security schemes implemented by Government of India namely, the Pradhan MantriJeevanJyotiBima and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha BimaYojana
• The increase in the amount of routine and recurring incentives for ASHAs from Rs. 1000 per month to Rs. 2000 per month would be with effect from October 2018 (to be paid in November, 2018).

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NW/AKT/SH